The threat followed the refusal by the new owners, Cullen Investments, to roll over existing player contracts and the National Rugby League's failure to enforce such action.

But the players are set to leave for England tomorrow after a meeting yesterday between player representatives and managers, as well as officials from the NRL, Australian Rugby League and the newly-named New Zealand Warriors which has taken over from Auckland.

Richie Barnett, the New Zealand captain who is joining London next season, said there was some doubt over three players - Logan Swann, Ali Lauitiiti and Joe Vagana - who did not have club contracts and were worried about their future should they be injured during the tournament.

A strategy to underwrite players' wages will be discussed after the World Cup ends on Nov 25.

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Australia start at Twickenham with the opening group one game against England while New Zealand, who are in group two with Wales, face Lebanon at Gloucester the following day.

Apart from the vice-captain Adrian Morley, who is recovering from a sternum injury, England will give the remaining 23 members of their World Cup squad some playing time in tonight's game against the United States in Orlando.

Bradford's Stuart Spruce will be the full-back, with Kris Radlinski, the Wigan full-back, chosen to play out of position on the wing and Andy Farrell in his most effective position of loose-forward.

Bradford's Paul Deacon will be at scrum-half with Sean Long at stand-off and that could be the scrum base which faces Australia next week although John Kear, the England coach, said: "I'm trying different permutations and I want to see which works best.

"Anybody who has worked with Kris Radlinski knows he can perform equally well at full-back, centre or on the wing. He adds to the way I feel we should approach and play this World Cup."

Harvey Howard (Brisbane), hooker Paul Rowley (Huddersfield) and Francis Stephenson (Wigan), who have not had a game for six weeks, will start in the front row.

The match will be played in four quarters with Julian O'Neill, who played for St Helens in the grand final victory over Wigan last week, in the American side.